【明報專訊】NORTH KOREAN leader Kim Jong-Un (金正恩) cut the ribbon to launch a celebration of the completion of a ''socialist utopia'' in North Korea, which is located at Samjiyon (三池淵), a town near the Kim family's sacred place Mount Paektu. An official mouthpiece has called it the ''epitome of modern civilisation'', which can house 4,000 households and 380 buildings, providing resort, cultural and medical facilities. As described by an architect, the town is more like a holiday village than a city for workers. (photo.1)

A significant piece of wood

THE Vatican (梵蒂岡) returned a piece of wood to Bethlehem (伯利恆). What? A piece of wood? Yes, you didn't hear something silly. About the size of a thumb and kept inside a delicately embellished case, it is believed by the Church to be a very significant fragment of Christ's manger (馬槽), where Jesus was kept at birth. (photo.2)

The measles outbreak

THE measles (麻疹) crisis has badly battered Samoa (薩摩亞), an independent South Pacific island country. The disease has brought the death toll to more than 70. A two-day curfew was declared by the authorities early this month to enable more efficient immunisation (免疫接種). Also, there were at least nine cases in the neighbouring American Samoa (美屬薩摩亞). Its authorities declared the measles outbreak, which would lead to school closures and a ban on gatherings in parks.

■Gear up

According to the passages on p 1 and p 2, answer the following questions.

(1) The overall increase in the purchases of real Christmas trees is 20% in 2018. ( True / False / Not given )

(2) Kim Jong-Un will live in Samjiyon. ( True / False / Not given )

(3) The measles crisis in Samoa has caused ( over 70 / less than 30 / no ) deaths.

(Answers on next text)

■Glossary

utopia (n) 理想國

epitome (n) 典範

embellish (v) 裝飾

curfew (n) 戒嚴

[Smarties' Power English 第265期]